Ricardo Semler: How to run a company with (almost) no rules

How to run a company with (almost) no rules

What if your job didn't control your life? Brazilian CEO Ricardo Semler practices a radical form of corporate democracy, rethinking everything from board meetings to how workers report their vacation days (they don't have to). It's a vision that rewards the wisdom of workers, promotes work-life balance — and leads to some deep insight on what work, and life, is really all about. Bonus question: What if schools were like this too?

Empowering workers to shape their own roles, schedules, and even salaries transforms organizations into spaces of trust and innovation. At a company with thousands of employees, two people managed human resources while employees chose leaders, set pay, and voted in board meetings. The same principles reimagined schools, giving children and elders shared authority in learning. Living as if time were precious, not guaranteed, reveals what truly matters in work and life.